Automatic shoe machine



Jan. '1, 1952 J. A. MILLER AUTOMATIC SHOE MACHINE 2 smETs-SHEET 1 Filed Aug. l0, 1949 M12 Ze?" t zess Jan. l, 1952 J. A. MILLER AUTOMATIC SHOE MACHINE:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1949 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 ICE 2,581,272 AUTOMATIC SHOE MACHINE John A. Miller, Beverly, Shoe Machinery Corp 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in shoe machines, and more particularly to a treadle control for moving a jacked shoe to a retracted inoperative position 'away from the shoe operating devices of the machine.

'Ihe invention is herein disclosed in a preferred form as embodied in an automatic machine provided with means for performing an operation about the sole margin of the shoe, a shoe supporting jack and a jack supporting assembly including a jack supporting spindle and an assembly of lever supports on which the jack is mounted for feeding, turning and tipping movements to position the shoe at the sewing point with relation to the shoe operating devices and to transfer the point of operation about the sole margin of the shoe. During the operation ou the shoe, the jack is supported yieldably in operating position by the upward thrust of a jack support rod and a spring pressed bell crank 1ever. The operation of these parts is further controlled by means of a toggle connection which acts, when straightened, to move the bell crank, the support rod and the jacked shoe downwardly to a retracted inoperative position away vfrom the shoe operating devices.

It is a principal object of the invention is provide a device under the control of the operator which can be instantly and effectively employed to move the jack and shoe supported thereon to a depressed inoperative position.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel treadle control which is readily operable to move the toggle connection to its released position.

With the above and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention will be'readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view in right side elevation of an automatic inseam shoesewing machine having a'shoe supporting jack a channel guide;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan View taken substantially on a line IIkII of Fig. 1 to illustrate particularly the improved treadle control mechanism of the machine; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in side elevation of substantially the parts shown in Fig. 2, taken cna line III-III of Fig. 2. The invention is particularly disclosed in the drawings as embodied in an automatic machine for sewing the welt and upper to the insole of Mass., assignor to United eration, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 10, 1949, Serial No. 109,587

a welted shoe, which is substantially similar to the machine illustrated in the patent to Alfred R. Morrill No. 2,359,664, dated October 3, 1944.'

The machine comprises a machine casingor frame which is built up of several sections, including a floor section I 0 housing principally the various foot treadle controls, a middle section I 2V housing principally the `jack supporting mechanism and the pattern mechanism of the machine, a head section I4 housing therein the welt sewing mechanism and the driving and stop-ping mechanism of the machine, anda top section I6 supporting thereon the driving motor i8 and reduction driving gears therefrom through which are driven the welt sewing mechanism, the pattern mechanism, and the driving and stopping mechanism of the machine.

The sewing and work guiding devices supported in the sewing head I4 include ka curved hook needle 22 which is arranged to strike the work from the outside and to' emerge in-'a stitch receiving channel in the insole, and a channel guide 24 which engages in the stitch receiving channel and serves as a focal point for the turning and tipping movementsl imparted to the jacked shoe during the transfer of 'the operation about the sole margin of the shoe.

vertically supporting spindle 28. A feed 1efeed link 32, connected with the of the jack, are provided for im,- parting feeding movements to the jack.

The lever supporting assembly for the jack comprises a horizontally disposed jack support lever 34 in the forward end of which is mounted a wheel 36 and supporting gimbals on which the jack spindle 28 is mounted toward its lower end, the wheel and supporting gimbals being so constructed and arranged as to cause the jacked shoe to rotate with the wheel 36 while at the same time it is capable of swinging freely in any direction on the supporting gimbals. The jack supporting arm 34 is supported at its rear end to swing about a horizontal axis 38 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The remaining parts of the lever supporting assembly include a pitch support lever G2 on which the lever arm 34 is pivotally mounted to swing vertically, and a vertically disposed roll support lever 44 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end in the machine base to turn about an airis 46 and upon which the pitch lever support is mounted to swing on substantially a vertical axis. Inas- 3 much as the jack supporting assembly is similar to that described and illustrated in the patent to Morrill above referred to and form specifically no part of the present invention, further description of this mechanism is omitted.

The jacked shoe is forced yieldingly upwardly into operating position with relation to the shoe sewing mechanism during the operation about the shoe by mechanism which comprises a vertically extending jack supporting rod 50 connected at its upper end by means of a universal joint with the underside of the jack supporting arm 3Q and at its lower end by `means of another universal joint with a forwardly extending arm of a bell crank lever 52 which is loosely supported to turn upon a pivot shaft 5t. A pair of heavy tension springs 55 connected between the downwardly extending fork arms of the bell crank 52 and supporting hooks on the machine frame tend to move the lever 52 and supporting -rod 55 upwardly to maintain the jacked shoe yieldingly in engagement with the sewing mechanism.

As shown in the patent to Morrill above referred to, toggle mechanism is provided which is arranged, when moved to a straightened position, to move the bell crank lever 52 and jack supporting rod downwardly to disengage the jacked shoe from the channel guide 2t and associated stitch forming devices. The toggle mechanism comprises pivotally connected toggle arms 60, 62, the toggle arm being pivotally connected to the bell crank lever 52 and the toggle arm 62 being secured to a laterally extending rock shaft 54 carried in a supporting plate 6E. Abutting stop surfaces vformed on the rear side of toggle arms 60 and 62 are arranged to support the toggle arms in their straightened locking position. A tension spring 68, connected at its forward end to the toggle arm 62 and at its rear end to a point on the bell crank lever 52, tends to swing the toggle arms rearwardly to break the toggle. The tension of this spring, however, is insuflicient to break the toggle until it has been moved away from its beyond-center locking position.

For the stopped position of the machine the toggle is straightened so that the jack is held in a depressed inoperative position. In accordance with the disclosure of the patent to Morrill above noted, the toggle arms 55, 52 and. spring 68 are so arranged that a downward pressure or jiggllng of the jack, applied by the operator when jacking a new shoe, through its action to straighten the toggle will render the spring 58 operative to break the toggle so that the shoe is forced upwardly into position against the sewing mechanism by the springs 55 acting on the bell crank lever 52. Further in accordance with the disclosure of the Morrill patent above noted, the toggle arms B0, 62 are again moved to their straightened position when the machine is stoppedby automatic means including a toggle straightening control rod 10 operated from the stop motion eccentric of the machine. The rod 'lll extends downwardly through an aperture formed in an offset portion of toggle arm B2 and carries a washer and adjustable stop nuts '.12 which act when the rod is moved upwardly to engage and move the toggle arm 52 about its pivot to the straightened position. The rod i5 at'its upper end is connected to one arm of a bell'crank T4, the other arm of which is connected by a link 16 with the stop motion eccentric. Inasmuch as the automatic stop motion of the machine including the stop motion eccentric referred to are fully set forth in the Morrill patent referred to and form speciiically no part of the present invention, further reference to this automatic mechanism is omitted herein.

In accordance with the present invention, a manually operable treadle control `is provided which is instantly ava'lable to the operator for moving the toggle connection to its straightened position in which the jacked shoe is removed from the shoe operating devices, whenever it becomes necessary for any reason to stop the operation on the shoe.

The treadle Vcontrol provided in accordance with the invention consists of a treadle element which is mounted upon an extension of the bell crank lever 52 and is adapted for depressing the bell lcrank in order to straighten the toggle, and actuating connections from the treadle element, which are rendered operative by a tilting movement of the treadle when depressed to force the toggle into its past center-locking position.-

The treadle mechanism comprises specifically a foot treadle tiltably mounted on a'forward extension 84 of the bellA crank 52. A` pivotal mounting for -the treadle is provided by two downwardly extending ears 82 pivotally mounted on a transverse pin 35 passing through the extension 84. A stop screw .85 mounted for engagement against the under side .of the treadle 8B serves to limit the rocking movement of the treadle in a counterclockwise direction asv the treadle is engaged by the heel of the operator to depress the bell crank 52 and jacked shoe therewith.

A tilting movement of the treadle 80 in response to an increased toe pressure by the operator after the bell crank 52 has been depressed will now .operate to move the toggle to its pastcenter locking position by means of operating connections which comprise a lever 9B carried on a pivot pin S2 on bell crank 52 and provided with a forwardly extending arm which extends beneath a nub 54 formed on the under side of the toe end of treadle 80. A rearwardly extending arm of the lever engages beneath a forwardly extending rocker arm secured to the outer end of a pivot pin 93 carried by the bell crank lever 52.

There is also secured to the pivot pin 98 a rearwardly extending rocker arm mi! which overlies and engages with an offset lug |62 formed on the hub of the toggle link BB, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The forward extension of bell crank 52 is formed with a centrally disposed slot |04 within which the rearwardly extending rocker -i E5 and the toggle link 60 are pivotally supported. A small compression spring i seated at one end in a recess formed in the bell crank 52 and at its other end against the under side of the rocker arm IGI) tends normally to maintain the rocker arm in a relatively raised position away from the lug H32 on the toggle link 65. For this position of the parts, as shown in Fig. l, the rocker arm 96 is depressed and the rocker lever vEl!! is turned in a clockwise direction so that the toe portion of the treadle 89 is raised and the heel portion is relatively depressed against the adjustable stop 88. The extension 8d of the bell crank 52- is pivotally supported on pivot pin 52 to be swung upwardly clear of the floor being normally supported in the operative position shown in Fig.- 3 by the engagement of an abutment surface Hi8 with the forward end portion of bell crank 52.

5 A stop plate lli! secured to the under side of the bell crank E2 is arranged to extend beneath and to limit the downward movement of the rear end of lever 9!! as shown, for example, in Fig. l.

The operation of the treadle control will be briey described as follows:

Assuming that the machine is in operation with the toggle connections 66, 62 broken and with the jacked shoe engaged against the channel guide 24 by the action of the bell crank lever 52 and springs 56, the operator, in order to move the jacked shoe out of engagement with the sewing mechanism, will step on the treadle Bil, iirst bearing down on the heel portion thereof so that the bell crank 52 is moved downwardly against the pressure of its springs 5S to move the shoe away from the operating mechanism. This downward movement of the bell crank 52 causes the toggle links 60, 62, to be substantially straightened. The links 65, 62, however, will not at this time move to their past-center locking position owing to the tension exerted thereon by spring 68. The operator will now transfer the pressure on the treadle to the toe portion thereof, thus rocking the treadle and causing the rocker arm |00 to be moved downwardly into engagement with lug |02 to move the toggle links positively to their beyond-center locking position. So long as the downward pressure on the toe portion oi the treadle is maintained, the toggle links will be maintained in this position against the pressure of spring 68. As the treadle pressure is released, the tendency of the bell crank 52 to move upwardly under the iniluence of its relatively heavy supporting springs 56 causes the toggle connection to be held in its beyond-center locking position.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specic embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe machine, mechanism for operating upon a shoe, a shoe supporting jack, a jack supporting assembly including a horizontally disposed jack support lever, yieldable means biasing the jack and support lever upwardly to present the jacked shoe to the operating mechanism, a toggle connection comprising a pair-of pivotally connected links attached between the support lever and the machine arranged when straightened to move the jacked shoe away from the operating mechanism and having a straightened beyond-center locking position, spring means biasing said links across center position, and means for controlling the position of the toggle including a foot treadle connected with the support lever to be depressed bodily to move the support lever and toggle to straightenedposition and for an additional rocking movement relative to the support lever, and a connection between the treadle and toggle links responsive to a rocking movement of the treadle for moving said links across center position against the pressure of said biasing spring means.

2. In a shoe machine, mechanism for operating upon a shoe, a shoe supporting jack, a jack supporting assembly including a horizontally disposed jack support arm and means for supporting the jack for rotary and swinging movement from the arm, a jack support lever, a jack support rod connecting the jack support lever and jack support arm, yieldable means acting on the support lever Vto present the jacked shoe to the shoe operating mechanism, a toggle comprising 6 toggle links connected with said jack support lever and arranged, when straightened, to move the support lever and jacked shoe therewith away from the shoe operating mechanism and havingv a straightened beyond-center locking position, a foot treadle pivotally supported from the jack support lever for a rocking movement thereon arranged to be depressed to move the support lever and toggle links toward straightened position. and connections between the treadle and toggle links responsive to a rocking movement of the treadle to move said links to said beyondcenter straightened position.

3. In a shoe machine, mechanism for operating upon a shoe, a shoe supporting jack, supporting and actuating devices for the jack including a yieldable supporting means for presenting the jacked shoe to the shoe operating mechanism, a toggle connection comprising a pair of pivotally connected toggle links arranged, when straightened, to move the jacked shoe against said yieldable supporting means away from the shoe operating mechanism and having a straightened beyond-center locking position, and means for controlling the operation of the toggle including a foot treadle arranged to be depressed and for rocking movement acting when depressed to move the jacked shoe away from the shoe operating mechanism against said yieldable supporting means and to straighten the toggle, and connections between the foot treadle and one of said toggle links rendered operative by a rocking movement of the foot treadle when depressed to rotate the pivotally connected toggle links to the beyond-center straightened position.

4. In a shoe machine, mechanism for operating upon a shoe, a shoe supporting jack, a jack supporting assembly including a horizontally disposed jack support arm and means for supporting the jack for rotary and swinging movement from the arm, a horizontally extending jack support lever disposed substantially beneath the jack support arm, a jack support rod connecting the jack support lever and jack support arm, yieldable means biasing the support upwardly to present the jacked shoe to the shoe operating mechanism, a toggle comprising a pair of pivotally connected toggle links connected with said jack support lever and arranged, when straightened, to maintain the support lever and jacked shoe therewith in a depressed position away from the shoe operating mechanism and having a. straightened beyond-center locking position, spring means tending to break the toggle when moved from said locking position, afoot treadle pivotally supported from the jack support lever for rocking movement thereon arranged to be depressed to straighten the toggle, and connections between the treadle and toggle links comprising a rocker lever adapted to be actuated by a downward rocking movement of the toe portion of the treadle, and a toggle link engaging rocker arm actuated by said rocker lever to rotate the pivotally connected toggle links to the beyondcenter straightened position.

JOHN A. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

